College is optional. No one really put forth an effort to express that to me, or to anyone as far as I could tell. The day I realized that I didn't have to go to college to become a "well-rounded individual," or get a job, or succeed in life was arguably one of the best days of my life. College just wasn't for me, so I opted out of that life choice for more than a few reasons.
1. The thought of going to school for another two to four years was daunting.
I never really enjoyed high school much as it was, so the thought of having to go through more schooling was agonizing. I dreaded going to look at colleges, hearing about all of the classes I would be taking, all the different buildings I would have to know about and listening to how stressful exams were. It made me sick to think that after finally graduating from high school, I would be thrown right back into the system to obtain even more education. I didn't think my brain could handle much more learning, studying, memorizing, or test taking.
2. College never really excited me.
At first, I thought it would be a pretty cool experience. Who doesn't want to experience a sense of independence? Finding new friends, joining clubs, fraternities or sororities, and learning about what you plan to do for the rest of your life, it sounds like a pretty great time. But as it got closer and I was applying for scholarships, looking at colleges and curriculums, and staring down those hefty prices... it began to seem a little less exciting and a little more troubling.
3. Starting my life out in debt wasn't exactly appealing.
Looking at the cost of classes, food, supplies, books, room and board, things to furnish the room, plus any money I may have wanted for leisure activities, I just didn't think I could swing it. I had a couple thousand dollars in scholarships, I had some help from my parents, I could take out loans, but ultimately I would have been in debt. That wasn't something I wanted to happen when I was just starting out in my life. Not to mention, I didn't even know if it would be worth it in the long run. Would I be able to get a job in the field I studied for? Would I just be "another college graduate" to potential employers? Did I even know what I wanted to study for or would I have to spend even more time and money to keep switching majors? It wasn't a risk I was willing to take.
4. I didn't know what I wanted to go for.
In a world of possibilities and oh so many options, how could I possibly know exactly what I wanted to go to college for? I mean, I had an idea but "then again" and, "what if" kept looping through my mind. I didn't like the uncertainty, I didn't enjoy knowing that I was so unsure of what classes I might want to take, what I might want to major in, and if anything I chose would even benefit me in the end. The unknown is frightening and I wasn't prepared to make a decision of that caliber yet.
5. I realized I didn't need college.
All my life people had made me think that college was an absolute necessity if you want to get anywhere in life, and then I found out that just wasn't true. There are plenty of successful people who didn't go to college and not everything requires a college degree, even though sometimes it may seem that way. I realized that the most important things in my life were that I was happy, able to support myself, and that I worked hard no matter what I was doing. It didn't matter if I went to college or not because there were plenty of other options available to me.
The best part about deciding not to go to college was knowing that I could choose to go at any time. The decision I made during my senior year of high school wasn't permanent and I could always choose to go later on in life— it's never too late to further your education, and if the time comes where I decide I want to do that, then I will. At this point in my life, college wasn't something I was interested in, and that's okay.
